Oil from a massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico oozed into Louisiana's ecologically rich wetlands Friday as storms threatened to frustrate desperate protection efforts. The White House put a hold on any new offshore oil projects until safeguards are in place to prevent rig explosions like the one that caused the spill.

As the drama around the tugboat grounding in Prince William Sound draws to a close, big questions still linger about what happened.

The two biggest: Why did the 136-foot Pathfinder tug go aground at Bligh Reef, one of the most famous shipping hazards in the world? And, how much of the thousands of gallons of diesel fuel it carried leaked when the reef ripped open the boat's hull?

Officials have found a 24-inch jagged rupture in a pipeline that began pouring oil and water Nov. 29, creating one of the biggest North Slope crude oil spills ever.

…Officials say massive ice plugs had formed inside the pipe, which caused BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. to stop operating it a few weeks ago. Pressure then built up until the pipeline ruptured, according to BP.

…DEC officials are compiling information about other large spills but, based on past reports, this one appears to be one of the biggest.

As the Gulf Coast continues to endure one of the worst oil spills and environmental disasters in U.S. history, many people are reconsidering off-shore drilling as a viable solution for America’s energy needs.

Senators from coastal states are already threatening to stop potential climate and energy legislation that would continue offshore drilling, and already a proposed lease sale off the coast of Virginia has been cancelled as the first oil-slicked birds, turtles, and mammals are being found near the barrier islands in Louisiana.